Desk



J. P. HAMEETMAYN ,243

June 21, 1932.

I DESK Filed July 14, i930 s Sheets-Sheet 1 I? Z .1 2 v y I q Q'jWWu/a DESK Filed July 14. 1930 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 @w izam wag June 21, 1932. J. P. HAMEETMAN 1,864,243

DESK Filed July 14, 1930 s Sheets-Sheet s JZzcob fiawzeeznzan,

w aam al/21w Patented June 21, 1932 UNITED s'mras PATENT OFFICE JACOB P. HAMFETMAN, OI CHICAGO, ILLINOIS,' ASSIGNOR TO COHMEBCIAL FURNITURE COMPANY, OF CHICAGO,-ILLINOIS, CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS i nnsx Application -fi1ed July 14, 1930. Serial No. 467,844.

This invention relates to tables and the like which are equipped with drawers, and

- more particularly to desks.

One of the objects of the invention is to provide a desk of simple and staunch construction having parts so formed as to permit their ready assembly in the process of constructing the desk. Another ob ect is to provide desk parts of uniform construction which are interchangeable and which may be readily adjusted to effect variations in the relation of the drawers to the desk frame. Another object of the invention is to equip a desk with improved drawer-guide and stop means and also with lmproved locking mechanism su ported in co-operatlve relation with the guide and stop means. A further object is to provide means for rendering the drawers of the desk dust proof. A still further object is to equip the frame members of the desk with means bywhich .the guides, stops and latch bar or locking mechanism may bereadily and accurately secured in c'o-ordinated relation with a saving of time and labor. Other objects and advantages will appear as the specification proceeds.

The invention is fully described in the following specification and shown in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a front view in elevation of a desk 'e uipped in accordance with my invention; igure 2 is a top plan view of the desk, the top having been removed; Fig. 3

is a sectional view, the section being taken as indicated at line 33 of Fig. 2; Fig. 4 is a detail sectional view, the section being H of Fig. 3; Fig. 5 is asectional view,.the section being taken as indicated at line 55 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is an enlarged detail view showing a portion of the slide equipped-with a dowel pin and carried by a slide track; Fig. 7 is a broken detail plan view showing the latch bar and'actuating lever, the slide track hav-- ing been broken away; Fig. 8 is a sectional view, the section being taken as indicated at line 8-8 of Fig. 7 Fig. 9 is a broken detail side view showing the spring lever in raised and depressed positions; Fig. 10 is a perspective detail view of the stop block employed; Fig. 11 is a perspective detail view of a portion of the drawer guide; Fig.12 is a detail side view of the latch bar which may be employed; and Fig. 13 is a detail sectional view, the section being taken as indicated at line 1313 of Fig. 9.

In the illustration given, A designates the the frame members 2 connect the posts B so as to form a pair of rectangular frames between which the drawer D is secured. The inner frame members 3 are provided with means for slidably carrying the draweriD. The rectangular drawer frames are enclosed by the frame members 2 or in strips 5 which ma panels 4 whlch are secured w1th1ngrooves 1n be attached to the frame members. a

Each of the posts B is preferably cutaway on its inner side to provide a ledge 6 adapted to receive the end of the drawer guide 7. e The drawer guides 7 (shown in detail in Fig. 11)

are preferably provided with a relatively wide flange portion 8 and a forward tongue or H track portion .9. At a point near the rear of each of the guides Z a rectangular section is cut away to provide a recess 10. The guides 7 may be secured within the recess,6' by means of nails, screws or othersuitable means, the. ends of the guides preferably lying flush in contact with the drawer.

against the adjacent portion of the posts. If desired, the lower flange portion of the guides 7 may be cutaway and, as shown more clearly in Fig. 3, this may be done with the bottommost member 7 so that the tongue portion 9 of the guide 8 will rest directly upon the bottom panel 4.

' A stop member or block 11 may be secured to a rear portion of a guide member 7 to stop the drawer carried by the guide member. This block, as shown more clearly in Fig. 10, preferably comprises a top .ortion 12 a recessed central portion 13 and a longitudinal recessed portion 14. The block 13 is also preferably provided with a projection 15 which forms an extension of the top 12. The longitudinal recess 14 is not as deep as the central transverse recess 13 but is sufiiciently wide to receive the tongue or track portion 9 of the guide 7. The recess 10 of the guide member 7 is adapted to receive the inner portion of block 11. \Vhen the parts are assembled, as shown in Fig. 4, the block 11 and guide member 7 provide between them a rectangular opening or slot 13. The member 11 may be secured within the recess 10 by glue or other suitable means. In the arrangement shown in Fig. 4, the projection 15 serves as a stop for the drawer C. If it is desired that the drawer be extended further into the compartment, the -block 11 may be turned in the opposite direction so that the project-ion 15 does not come \Vith the block in this position, the drawer can be extended into the compartment until the front of the drawer is substantially flush with the front wall of the desk.

The drawers C may be of any suitable-form of construction. In the illustration given, the side walls of each drawer rest upon the top of the track portion 9 of the guide 7 Each of the drawers is provided with a bot tom C which, as shown in Fig. '3, is slightly above the bottom edge of the drawer. The rear side of each drawer is provided with a catch member 17 which may be secured to the rear wall by screws, etc. In the construction illustrated, the tongue or track portion 9 of the guide member 7 serves not only as a track for the drawer thereabove and as a guide for the side wall of the drawer therebelow but also seals the space between the drawers against dust, etc. To make the drawers completely dust proof, the cross strips 18 are provided at the rear end of the drawers so as to close the space between the bottom of one drawer and the rear wall of the drawer next below. The cross pieces 18 at the rear side of the drawers correspond substantially in depth to the cross pieces 19 which separate the drawers at their front sides.

Slidably mounted in the slots 13 provided by the guide members 7 and blocks 11. is a latch bar 20. As shown more clearly in Fig. 3, the bar 20 is provided with a number of pins 21 which are secured near one side of the bar and, when the drawers are closed, are in alignment with the catches 17. A pair of bars 2.0 are provided for each drawer compartment, the bar on one side having the pin 2li'disposed near the forward edge of the bar and the bar on the other side having a pin similarly disposed but facing toward the pin on the opposite bar. \Vith this arrangement, when the latch bars are interchanged, the pins 21 will be near the rear edge of the bar. Preferably the distance between the pin at the forward edge of a bar and the pin at the rear edge of the bar is substantially the same as the length of projection 15 on block member 11.

To raise and lower the bar 20, the crank or rock-lever is supported near the top of the desk frame. Lever 22 comprises a substantially straight portion 23, a short arm 2 1 and a connecting portion 25, the latter portion of lever 22 being received within a central perforation or opening 26 in latch bar 20. The lever 22 near its outer end is provided with a curved portion 27 adapted to engage the central drawer D. The inner frame member 3 is provided with a slot 28 adapted to receive the straight portion 23 of lever 22. To support the lever within slot 28, a pair of blocks .29 and 30 are secured to frame member 3 on opposite sides thereof. These blocks are provided with grooves 31 which receive portions of the bar 22. lYith this arrangement the straight portion 23 of bar 22 is carried by blocks 29 and 30 and is held down in this position, as shown more clearly in Fig. 8, by the frame member 3. In order to permit rapid and accurate assembly of the parts 29 and 30, the member 3 is provided with'grooves and 33 adapted to receive tongues with which members 29 and 30 Y are equipped. Also, the member 3 on its inner side is cut away along the top and bottom portions to form shoulders 34 and These shoulders 31 and 35 serve as guides for the drawer runners 3G and 37. The central drawer D is carried between runners 36 and 37 and when pushed into the compartment engages the curved arm 27 of lever 22.

Above the drawers C slide 38 may be carried upon guides 7, such as have been described for carrying the drawers C. If desired, however, metal tracks 39, as shown in Fig. 2, may be employed. The tracks 39 are preferably inthe shape of an angle-iron and are supported at their ends within recesses 10 in the tops of the posts 1:). Each of the tracks 39 is preferably provided with a stop 41 which may be bolted to the vertical flange of the track member 39. To prevent the slide 38 from being completely withdrawn, dowel pins 42 are secured to the sides of'the slides and, as shown more clearly in Fig. 2; engage the front wall of the recess 40 in the In operation, the drawers C may be lockedin closed position by pushing the central drawer D inward so as to engage and depress the curved lever arm 27. \Vhen the lever arm 27 is forced downward by engagement with drawer D, the short arm 24 is raised thereby lifting the latch bar 20. In raised position, the pins 21 of latch bar 20 are brought into engagement with latches 17. and prevent the withdrawal of drawers B. To release the drawers B from engagement with the locking elements, the central drawer D may be partially withdrawn to release the arm 27. The weight of latch bar 20 causes this member to drop and thus lowers the pins 21 out of engagement with the latches 17. The lever 27 is formed of spring material which will yield sufiiciently to permit one of the drawers, which is not closed when the remaining drawers are locked, to be pushed back into closed osition, the bar 20 being depressed slightly y the curved forward portion of latch 17 as it engages the pin 21.

In assembling the parts, the guides 7 are secured to posts 13 so that the ends of the guides are received within the channels or recesses 6. The blocks 11 are then pressed into engagement with the guide members so that the recess 10 receives the inner portion of block 11 and the longitudinal slot 14 receives the tongue 9 of guide member 7. The latch bars 20, are then placed within the slots 16. If it is"desired to have the front wall of the drawers flush with the front wall of the desh, the blocks 11 may be turned so that the projections 15 face in a rearward direction. With this arrangement, the latch bars 20 must be interchanged so that the offcenter pins 21 will be adjacent the rear edge of the bars and in alignment with the catches 17.

The inner frame member 3 permits ready and accurate assembly therewith of the support blocks 30 and 31 by means of grooves 32 and 33. Also the runners 36 and 37 may be readily secured in proper alignment against the shoulders 34 and 35.

The slides 38 are stopped in closed position by stops 41 and are prevented from being withdrawn by the engagement of dowel pins 42 with the recess wall 40 of posts B.

As shown more clearly in Fig. 4, each of the drawers B is stopped at its rear side and at its four corners by contact with blocks 11. The shock or jar caused by the contact of the rear wall of the drawer with the four adjacent blocks is transmitted through the blocks and guide members directly to the rear posts B. The block 11 by means of its interlocking connections with the guide member 7 re-inforces the guide member at the point of contact with the drawer, while at the same time providing a guide channell3 for the latch bar 20. The longitudinal and transverse interlocking elements on the block 11 the guide members 7 bear directly against the rear posts B,the guide members also will not yield under hard usage.

The reversibility of blocks 11 and theinterchangeability oflatch bars 20 permit a desk to be readily assembled with the front walls of the drawers flush with the front wall of the desk or projecting therefrom at a distance corresponding to the length of projection 15 of block 11. I The foregoing detailed description has been given for clearness of understanding only and no unnecessary limitations should be understood therefrom, but the appended claims should be construed as broadly as permissible in view of the prior art.

I claim:

1. In apparatus of the character set forth, a desk providing a drawer compartment, drawer guides within said compartment, a

stop member, said guides and stop member equipped with means adapted to engage said latch elements, and a stop member secured to one of said guide members, said stop member and guide member being equipped with interlocking portions and providing between them a guide slot adapted to receive said latch bar.

3. In combination with a desk having a drawer compartment, a guide member having a forward tongue portion provided with a recess, and a stop member having a longitudinal groove adapted to receive the tongue portion of said guide member, the recess of said tongue portion being adapted to receive the inner portion of said stop member.

4. In combination with a desk having a drawer compartment, drawers slidably mounted therein, reversible stop blocks secured in said compartment, and interchangeable locking means supported in said compartment, said stop blocks and said locking means being adapted to be adjusted to stop and lock said drawers in one of a plurality of positions.

5. In combination with a desk having a drawer compartment, drawers slidably mounted therein, stop blocks supported in said compartment and adapted to be reversed to stop said drawers at different points, latch means carried by said drawers, a pair of latch bars equipped with pins positioned oficenter and adapted to engage said latch means, said latch bars being interchangeable to align s'aid pins with said latch means when said stop blocks are reversed.

6. In combination with a desk having a drawer compartment, guide members secured to the side walls of said compartment, drawers mounted on said guide members, one of said drawers having the top of its side walls abuttingthe lower side of one of said guidemembers and having the bottom of its side walls resting upon the to of the guide member below, and cross pieces at the rear and front of said drawers sealing said drawers when in closed position.

JACOB P. HAMEETMAN. 

